Housing That's Tailored To Elderly Lifestyles

July 20, 1985|By Denise Salvaggio of The Sentinel Staff

As retirement housing for the elderly becomes more widespread, planning spaces that encourage independent living has become more sophisticated. Residential multiunit buildings and communities are now taking into account the physiological, sensory and social needs of senior citizens' lives.

But what have experts in the field of housing design for older people determined is necessary, and how well has the application of their findings succeeded in actual retirement communities?

''There are three principles in designing housing for older people,'' said Dr. John Zeisel, president of Building Diagnostics Inc., a Boston company specializing in design and utilization issues of housing for senior citizens. ''They are: diversity, independence and residential environments. These things are the opposites of the stereotypes of sameness, dependence and institutionalization usually associated with older people.''

Zeisel, who is the co-author of three books on congregate living for older people, noted that the older population has just as much diversity as other age groups. His observation was reinforced by Dr. Victor Regnier, associate professor of architecture and gerontology at the University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles.

''Not all older people are the same,'' Regnier said. ''They're all a product of their individual experiences. This means that when architects design residences, they won't be looking at comparables anymore -- for example, saying that if a certain building fit the needs of people in Peoria, a building of identical size and design will do likewise anyplace else.''

''Not every retirement situation is agreeable to everyone,'' said Frank Kille, 81, a resident of Winter Park Towers and Village, a 13-acre retirement community. ''What one person thinks is ideal, another person couldn't stand.'' Regardless of the background of retirement-housing residents, accessibility is the key to designing for older people who are alert and mobile, but are beginning to feel the physiological constraints of aging.

''There are changes in us that come along so gradually that one of the problems with most elderly people is to get them to think in terms of the kind of care and assistance they should have,'' Kille said. ''Age comes so gradually that they're never ready to recognize that they have to let go of certain things. They can expand other things -- they can do more music or read more to expand their horizons. But the fact is that you have to give up certain things that you can physically no longer handle.''

But there are ways to make allowances for the diminishing physical allowances for the diminishing physical capabilities that come with age. Zeisel mentioned some of the popular design features geared toward easier and safer housekeeping that are being incorporated into the construction of retirement housing.

''There are many factors that influence design,'' he said. ''One of the basic things is that it's a little harder for older people to keep up with cleaning a house, and many don't want to or can't spend the money for someone else to do it. We're going in the direction of more compact housing. For example, you don't need two full bathrooms that continually need cleaning -- one full bath and a half bath is usually sufficient. Smaller bedrooms are also popular because there is less space to vacuum and dust.''

In addition, kitchens are being designed with top cabinets that are lower than those in a standard house or apartment, and low cabinets that are higher in order to prevent falls.

''The problem is more the danger of climbing on a stool and reaching for something,'' Zeisel said, ''as well as the vertigo of bending over to get into a low cabinet, than a case of the person simply not being able to reach. It's very easy to fall into stereotypes that the cabinets are built this way because old people are bent over and more frail, but that's not a useful criteria.''

But according to Regnier of USC, it is not inaccurate to characterize older people (particularly women) as shorter than their younger counterparts. He said that such factors as osteoporosis (a bone disease that causes a loss of height among older women) and improved nutrition that has increased the average height of younger people are responsible for this tendency.

''Most people in their 70s and 80s are shorter than younger people,'' Regnier said. ''If you build cabinets higher than 66 inches from the floor, they're not going to be able to reach them. Kitchens for older people must be designed as compactly as possible to optimize the available space.''

Other kitchen conveniences built into recently constructed housing are cabinets and drawers that are opened by a groove underneath instead of knobs that may be difficult for people with arthritis to grab. Also, electric ranges with all of the controls on the front lessen the risk of accidents that could occur if one had to reach across the heating elements.

In the bathroom, some residences, such as Orlando's Village on the Green (which is still under construction), have installed fiberglass bathtubs, because the material cushions a fall somewhat better than ceramic. Village on the Green also has installed two grab rails on the sides of the tub, and higher-built toilets are available in some units.

Other features found in many new buildings and houses throughout the United States include:

Levers on doors and windows instead of knobs.

Single-lever controls on faucets.

Call buttons in the bedroom and bathroom to summon help in an emergency.

Higher contrast between the colors used on walls and in carpets.

''As you get older, there is an inability to distinguish between two colors that are too similar,'' said Zeisel. ''Also, we have to consider the glare factor -- making sure that you don't have many small windows in a wall where the contrast of light and the dark wall doesn't become blinding.''